SK Bioscience's varicella vaccine, SKYVaricella / Courtesy of SK BioscienceSK Bioscience will license its vaccine technology to Colombia’s state-owned pharmaceutical firm VECOL and cooperate in establishing a local manufacturing site, as part of the Latin American country’s national vaccine localization initiative, the Korean drug developer said Tuesday.SK Bioscience signed an agreement detailing the partnership with VECOL, which is jointly leading the state initiative with Colombia’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection and the National Health Institute.Under the initiative, Colombia will invest $260 million over the next 10 years to strengthen national vaccine self-sufficiency and public health preparedness. VECOL is the lead entity responsible for overall project execution, while SK Bioscience will participate by licensing its vaccine and providing the technology and expertise required for manufacturing facility development and other operational know-how.As the initial product for the partnership, SK Bioscience will license out SKYVaricella, its proprietary varicella vaccine. The company said it plans to establish a local manufacturing system while exploring opportunities to expand cooperation into additional vaccine products in the future.SK Bioscience will secure preferential negotiation rights for vaccines to be introduced through the facility, including not only its own proprietary vaccines but also broader vaccine products that may be adopted by the Colombian government in the future.Along with the deal, SK Bioscience also received a request from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to supply 950,000 doses of SKYVaricella to Colombia this year, securing final purchase orders for 600,000 doses among them. The request came after the Colombian health ministry decided to switch all 950,000 doses of varicella vaccines required for this year’s National Immunization Program to SKYVaricella.Prior to selecting SK Bioscience as its partner, the Colombian government conducted a review process over approximately four years, evaluating multiple global vaccine manufacturers with experience in supplying World Health Organization prequalified (WHO PQ) vaccines. The company said it was recognized for its global vaccine manufacturing capabilities, WHO PQ-certified vaccine portfolio and commitment to supporting long-term vaccine capacity building initiatives.SK Bioscience plans to leverage this partnership as a strategic foothold to expand regional manufacturing and technology transfer initiatives across Latin America, with the long-term goal of establishing an integrated regional vaccine production and supply network.“We are honored to participate in this national initiative led by the Colombian government and VECOL to strengthen vaccine manufacturing capabilities,” SK Bioscience CEO Ahn Jae-yong said. “Leveraging our accumulated expertise in vaccine development and manufacturing, we will continue striving to contribute to future pandemic preparedness and the establishment of a sustainable vaccine supply foundation in Latin America and beyond.” Gina Tambini Gomez, the representative for WHO and PAHO in Colombia, said, “This step contributes to the commitment adopted by the Member States of the Americas to strengthen regional production capacities for health technologies.”